Merlin's Birthday
by slightlytookish
Summary: Morgana and Gwen prepare for Merlin’s birthday. And so does Arthur - grudgingly.


Arthur stood by the door, his arms folded and his expression dubious as he looked around the room. All of Gaius' dusty old books and odd-looking experiments had been cleared away to make room for the bunches of flowers now adorning the table, the hearth, and the window ledges. "Don't you think it's a bit much?" he asked.

"Of course not," Morgana replied as she carefully arranged several delicate-looking buds in a vase.

"I think they make the room look beautiful," Gwen said, smiling as she helped Gaius set the table with the cake and other refreshments. Her face suddenly fell as she remembered that they were in the physician's chambers, and she immediately backtracked. "Not that the room didn't look good before, of course. It's a very _nice_ room. Very cosy. I only meant-"

"I think we get the point, Guinevere," Arthur interrupted, sounding bored.

Morgana set the vase aside and looked at him shrewdly. After a moment she approached with a sweetly sharp smile that Arthur always associated with disaster. "Arthur. Gwen and I can't possibly reach. Would you mind…?"

And that is how Arthur found himself standing on a rickety chair to hang a garland of flowers over the door.

"No man likes flowers this much," he grumbled. The chair wobbled violently. "Not even Merlin."

"The decorations are in honour of his birthday," Morgana said, not bothering to hide an amused grin as Arthur cautiously climbed down from his unsteady perch. "Merlin will love them."

Arthur thought of the time Merlin had worn that ridiculous purple flower Gwen gave him, and reluctantly admitted to himself that Morgana was probably right.

"I hope you remembered to get him something, Arthur," she added.

There was a long and awkward silence.

Morgana and Gwen shared a glance of disbelief. "_Please_ tell me you remembered to get Merlin a birthday present," Morgana said.

"I thought I'd get him one of those rags he wears around his neck," Arthur said carelessly. He seemed perplexed by the girls' matching looks of outrage. "What? He could use a new one."

Gwen silently turned away, but not before Arthur caught the look of disapproval on her face. Morgana, however, was eager to express her displeasure.

"Merlin was right," she said, her eyes flashing dangerously. "You really are the biggest prat imaginable."

"He can't help it," Merlin said, smiling cheekily as he entered the room. He was carrying a sack of herbs that Gaius had sent him to find in order to keep him away from the birthday preparations. "I think he was born that way. What's all this?" he asked suddenly, noticing the cake and the decorations.

"Happy birthday, Merlin," everyone chorused. Everyone except Arthur.

Morgana elbowed him sharply.

Arthur sighed. "Yes, yes, happy birthday, Merlin," he said impatiently. "But before you start stuffing your face with cake I need you to go and bring my horse to the blacksmith. He's thrown a shoe."

Morgana rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Can't you ask someone else?" she demanded.

"I'll go," Gwen offered quickly, but Arthur shook his head.

"Who better than my own manservant?" he said cheerfully, apparently delighting in the opportunity to order the boy around on his birthday.

Merlin looked longingly at the cake.

"It won't take you long. My horse is just outside. Now go," Arthur ordered, shoving Merlin through the door and studiously ignoring the icy glares the girls were sending his way.

Just a few moments later, the door opened again. It was Merlin, a look of mingled surprise and joy on his face as he led an equally delighted Hunith inside. "Arthur, did you- I mean- I can't believe-"

Arthur shrugged, feigning indifference. "Well, I thought even the worst servant ever should see his mother on his birthday," he said grudgingly.

"That was actually very sweet of you, Arthur," Morgana said. She seemed disturbed by the very idea and turned to the physician. "Gaius, you don't think that Arthur has some terrible illness, do you? Something that's made him… nice."

There was some laughter at that, but Arthur never heard Gaius' response because at that moment Merlin turned to him, an expression of radiant happiness still etched upon his face.

"Thank you," he said. "You didn't have to-"

Arthur smiled and put his arm around Merlin's shoulder, silencing him.

"Happy birthday, Merlin."


End file.
